It's worth reviewing the 'raw data' on certain subjects from time to time to remind us of our responsibilities to each other. The information provided by Liam Jackson might also explain why some of us find ourselves prone to be so grumpy; more often than not, we haven't a clue what set off the most recent grumpy outburst. I prefer to know why I am such a grump.....know the truth and it will set you free......to get more grumpy (half joking). R. D. Laing, the famous and controversial Scottish psychiatrist, and grump extraordinaire, often asked audiences how it was possible for any halfway decent person to look around at the innumerable examples of unspeakable injustice, oppression, incidents, suffering, and the rest without feeling angry.
He related a story about his discussions with a distinguished Aramaic scholar (language spoken by most people when Jesus of Nazareth was rocking the boat). During one chat, the scholar told Laing of a particularly troubling mistranslation of a saying attributed to the Carpenter found in the Beatitudes. The scholar provided overwhelming evidence that the original manuscript recording the Beatitudes included the following: "Blessed are the angry for they shall inherit the earth" (remember, we are reading an English translation of a transcript that passed through 3 or 4 'generations' of ' transcriptions/translations before making it to the Bible---it's fascinating to read about the politics surrounding what was ultimately included/excluded from the Bible).
"Blessed are the angry...." makes sense to me. Neither the Aramaic scholar nor Laing were suggesting people needed to be walking around perpetually pissed off to get a ticket to Heaven. However, they were suggesting people were hopelessly callous and brain-dead if they didn't become a bit angry as they observed how freely predators moved around and did as they wished to the innocent and vulnerable.
Anyway, Liam was kind enough to send me the following reasons to begin my day feeling grumpy; I would have been grumpy either way but this was the 'good news' for the early morning.
One last comment. It is simply impossible for sheepdogs not to become grumpy as hell when reminded of such things. I believe that those with the most sensitive hearts tend to be the grumpiest people around. Inside that grump is a 'wounded inner sheepdog' (sorry, I couldn't resist) hellbent on setting things straight.
Liam Jackson's Comment:
"I'll apologize in advance for the length of this comment. Pare it down if you see fit, Doc.
Historically and biologically, males have been blessed/cursed with the role of the physically dominant gender. Yes, there are exceptions to every rule, but we're discussing general roles for the moment. Stay with me.
Because of that physical dominance, men have historically been drawn or thrust into the positions of sheepdog or wolves. (There are also female sheepdogs and wolves out there.) Frankly, I'm of the opinion that many times, the sheepdog and wolf natures coexist within the same mental or spiritual framework. It's a hell of a struggle at times and as the old Native American proverb goes, the winner is the one you feed on a regular basis. In men, with our physical tools, mental hardwiring and testosterone-fueled psyches, we're more likely to take one or the other to extremes.
Just one guy's opinion here, but women ARE treasures. So are children, our elders, and the infirm. So are my brother and sister sheepdogs. Each group possesses insights, intuitions, depths of emotion, manners of thought and expression, and instincts that, as a general rule, differ by varying degrees from each other. Treasures, one and all.
Now, a sheepdog's natural instinct is to A. Survive, B. Protect, C. Preserve (and not always in that order.) If one considers that a valid statement, then consider the following:
**85-95% of all domestic violence victims are female.
**Over 500,00 women are stalked by an intimate partner each year.
**5.3 million women are abused each year.
**1,232 women are killed each year by an intimate partner.
**Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women.
**Women are more likely to be attacked by someone they know rather than by a stranger
**Homicide is the leading cause of death for women in the workplace.
**Globally, 1 in 3 women will be assaulted during their lifetime.
**Of the approximately 1.7 million incidents of workplace violence that occur in the US every year, 18,700 are committed by an intimate partner: a current or former spouse, lover, partner, or boyfriend/girlfriend.
source -American Institute on Domestic Violence
Now, if you think that's a kick in the ass, read on:
*Women are more likely to be victims of sexual violence than men: 78% of the victims of rape and sexual assault are women and 22% are men.
*Most perpetrators of sexual violence are men. Among acts of sexual violence committed against women since the age of 18, 100% of rapes, 92% of physical assaults, and 97% of stalking acts were perpetrated by men.
*Sexual violence against men is also mainly male violence: 70% of rapes, 86% of physical assaults, and 65% of stalking acts were perpetrated by men.
*In 8 out of 10 rape cases, the victim knows the perpetrator. Of people who report sexual violence, 64% of women and 16% of men were raped, physically assaulted, or stalked by an intimate partner. This includes a current or former spouse, cohabitating partner, boyfriend/girlfriend, or date.
*13% of adult women had been victims of completed rape during their lifetime
22% of rape victims were assaulted by someone they had never seen before or did not know well.
Source- American Bar Association
Now folks, if I'm the sheepdog-type (male or female) and I gravitate to those who are most often victimized, the above mentioned stats move me to bite someone in the ass. I won't start in on crimes against children. No tonight, anyway.
Both sheepdogs and wolves live in target-rich enviornments."
Visit Liam Jackson's MySpace page and website.
Visit the Warrior Traditions Store
Subscribe to Warrior Traditions Podcast
Subscribe to North Star Guardians Podcast
Dr. Kevin Keough's Light Therapy Company website.
Tags: Liam Jackson Violence Against Women Warriors Warrior Traditions Dr Keou
